The Road to Restoration
Introduction Lesson Notes: Overview
Focus Verse
“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.” (Romans 15:4: 4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ro 15:4.)
Outline
Looking Up – God’s Word
Looking Back – Israel’s History
Looking Ahead – This Year’s Study
Engage
Longing rises in our hearts as we walk through this life. A persistent desire for more than we can see or experience follows us through good moments and hard times. We desire something more than we can deposit in our bank accounts or hold in our hands. Seasons come and go, yet for God’s people, this world often feels like a foreign place. We can feel like exiles, rooted here yet longing for more and better. But the hard truth is glorious: we have not yet arrived at our home.
Because of the people’s sin, the nation of Israel had been uprooted from their God-given homeland and forced to live as aliens and exiles in foreign lands. Displaced and discouraged, they wondered if God had abandoned them. This year’s study picks up their story, tracing the thread of God’s faithfulness throughout their obstacles, challenges, and victories. God appointed prophets to speak for Him and customized His messages for the unique challenges the people caused or faced. He also raised up men and women of strong character who, even in exile, remained faithful to the one true God. They modeled humility, excellence, and integrity while serving secular society and foreign rulers. Through it all, God remained faithful to a people who too easily ignored His goodness. This Old Testament study tells Israel’s story but speaks powerfully to us today. God is faithful to His promises and directs history to accomplish His eternal plans. Despite sin’s destruction, God paves a road to restoration for all who humble themselves before Him.
Looking Up – God’s Word
The Authority of Scripture
We rarely can fully grasp the amazing privilege of reading and studying words from God. When we pick up the Bible or join in a group Bible study, God grants us the privilege of absorbing glorious truths we could not discover on our own. God speaks through the Bible in words we can read, ponder, and apply. As we sincerely take to heart what God says through His Word, He transforms us in unimaginable ways. If we wrestle with our schedules and prioritize our time with the Lord, we will see afresh the privilege to contemplate the revelations of our eternal God. Though, as finite beings, we understand only a fraction of all God has made known, His Spirit helps us grasp what we most need as we seek His wisdom.
God’s Spirit inspired more than 40 human authors to record His revelation for the world. The 66 books of the Bible contain truth directly revealed by God to humanity.1 As humans navigating a fallen world resounding with diverse and wayward opinions, we can thoroughly trust God’s Word as unchanging truth.2 Together, the Old and New Testaments tell one harmonious story of God’s redemption through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. God works in our hearts and lives to reveal Himself and draw our hearts to worship Him as we study the Bible.3
The Value of Studying the Old Testament
Familiar texts in the Bible embrace our hearts and enlighten our minds. However, every passage within God’s Word communicates truth we need to understand. While the well-loved and often-studied New Testament presents glorious truth about salvation in Christ, those books stand on the foundation laid within the Old Testament. As we intently study the Old Testament this year, the relevance of its ancient stories, unchanging truths, and personal applications will rise from every lesson. The entire Old Testament reflects the struggles people have following God and why we need hearts changed from within, which points to God’s promises in Christ. The Israelites were much like us. God’s Old Testament prophets were people with real obstacles and countless weaknesses. God’s warnings then relate to us today. The hopeful promises God offered then connect to our modern life situations and draw our eyes to God’s ongoing, unshakable plan for His people.
Though many images and declarations within the Old Testament can seem challenging to unravel, approach this study ready for the Holy Spirit to lead you forward. Ask and trust God to teach you at least one transformative truth in every lesson. Allow the Old Testament to stabilize your view of God and lead you to find rest within His eternal plan.
Looking Back – Israel’s History
Called by God
Genesis, the first book of the Bible, records God’s creation of the world4 and humanity’s fall into sin through Adam and Eve.5 As the story progresses, God called Abraham to live for Him. He promised to make Abraham the father of a great nation who would bless the world.6 Israel’s history reflects both God’s faithfulness and the nation’s stubborn refusal to seek and submit to God, which still troubles humanity today. The ups and downs of the people, their slavery in Egypt,7 and their exodus from bondage under Moses’s leadership8 attest to God’s power and purposes for His chosen people. God provided for the Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years, often unthankful for God’s provisions.9 God also gave His people His law—the standards by which they were to live and worship.10
Corrupted by Sin
Despite God’s choice of Israel as His people and their calling to represent Him to the world, the sinful Israelites squandered God’s blessings.11 Their history reflects more disobedience than faithfulness. Throughout their development as a nation, God sent prophets to call the people to honor Him and remind them of His promises.
After the Exodus, the Israelites settled in the land God had promised, waging war against their enemies but not fully purging the land of idolatrous nations as God had commanded.12 Wanting to be like surrounding nations, the Israelites demanded a king.13 The story of Israel’s early kings—Saul, David, and Solomon—tells a tale of inconsistent obedience and leadership. God promised David, a king who sought God but also sinned greatly, an eternal kingship from his descendants.14 This promise anticipated the perfect Shepherd-King: the Lord Jesus Christ.
After Solomon’s reign, the kingdom of Israel divided into two kingdoms led by a succession of kings. A few kings sought the Lord, but most contributed to the nation’s spiritual deterioration. Ten tribes formed the Northern Kingdom, which sinned greatly and fell to Assyria in 722 BC, by God’s design.15 The Southern Kingdom of Judah incorporated the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Their sin led to their overthrow and final fall to the Babylonians in 586 BC, dispersing the people and destroying Jerusalem.16
This study enters Israel’s story around the time of the fall of Jerusalem and the deportation of Judah’s people to exile in Babylon. God’s promises and warnings of judgment came to pass, and the people suffered greatly.17 However, Israel’s exile did not end God’s mercy on His people. God promised that after 70 years in Babylon, He would return them to their land and restore them to Himself.18 Our study follows that very promise. We look to past events while anticipating God’s continuing work in the future.
Looking Ahead – This Year’s Study
The Road We Will Travel
Despite God’s faithful investment in His chosen people, the Israelites worshipped other gods. They failed to honor the God who called them to represent Him to the world. We will study the narrative storyline from the exile to the end of the Old Testament and the prophets God faithfully sent to His people during this period.
God sent enemy nations to take His people into captivity in two sweeping blows. The Northern Kingdom of Israel and the Southern Kingdom of Judah ended up in exile because of their sin and God’s promised discipline. Even so, God did not abandon His people. The ongoing story of God’s reunited people of Israel reflects the Lord’s restorative work, which upheld His promises and gave His people hope. After 70 years of Babylonian exile, God allowed them to reinhabit the promised land and rebuild the temple and wall in Jerusalem. God worked on their behalf through pagan kings and despite numerous obstacles.
Not only did God seek to restore the land and allow reconstruction of what had been destroyed, He called His people back to wholehearted commitment to Him. God raised up wise and effective leaders and sent prophets to deliver timely messages on His behalf. Though these Old Testament historical and prophetical books may be less familiar to us, they lay groundwork that helps us better understand the New Testament. After Malachi, the last Old Testament prophet, God’s voice went seemingly silent until He raised up John the Baptist to prepare the way for His Son, the promised Messiah.19 Our study offers much more than information about ancient books we might deem dusty and disconnected from our lives. Every word in the Bible offers God’s purposeful message to His people. As we consider the amazing power and timely words within these books, be ready and willing to hear from God and receive His message.
The Books We Will Study
Old Testament narratives advance the storyline, while prophetic books add the depth and color of God’s sovereignty and His people’s hope. The prophets’ messages should be read within their historical contexts but also with God’s grander plans in view. God’s admonitions, corrections, warnings, and promises flow into the ground-level reality in the lives of His people yet often simultaneously reveal His long-range plans for Israel and all humanity.
People of the Promise: Exile & Return is a book-by-book study in which the chronology of events in the accounts often overlap with one another. For example, Ezekiel and Daniel prophesied during roughly the same time frame. The storyline primarily advances through Ezra and Nehemiah, as exiles returned to Jerusalem and their land in consecutive waves. Esther sits within the time framed by Ezra. Understanding the timeline20 of both the narrative and prophetic passages will prove helpful. Your notes will help you recognize the progression of the whole storyline as you open each book listed below.
Ezekiel – The study opens with Ezekiel. While our brief encounter with this prophet in Lessons 1-2 will not cover the fullness of Ezekiel’s 48-chapter book, intentionally selected portions will set the context and course for our path forward. Called as a prophet while exiled in Babylon, Ezekiel warned of coming judgment, pleading for repentance and speaking words of hope among God’s exiled people. We will look at Ezekiel’s first vision and call as God’s prophet in Lesson 1 (Ezekiel 1–2: 1 In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the Chebar canal, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. 2 On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), 3 the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.
The Glory of the Lord
4 As I looked, behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, and a great cloud, with brightness around it, and fire flashing forth continually, and in the midst of the fire, as it were gleaming metal. 5 And from the midst of it came the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: they had a human likeness, 6 but each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. 7 Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot. And they sparkled like burnished bronze. 8 Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: 9 their wings touched one another. Each one of them went straight forward, without turning as they went. 10 As for the likeness of their faces, each had a human face. The four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle. 11 Such were their faces. And their wings were spread out above. Each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. 12 And each went straight forward. Wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. 13 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches moving to and fro among the living creatures. And the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning. 14 And the living creatures darted to and fro, like the appearance of a flash of lightning.
15 Now as I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them. 16 As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl. And the four had the same likeness, their appearance and construction being as it were a wheel within a wheel. 17 When they went, they went in any of their four directions without turning as they went. 18 And their rims were tall and awesome, and the rims of all four were full of eyes all around. 19 And when the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. 20 Wherever the spirit wanted to go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. 21 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them, for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.
22 Over the heads of the living creatures there was the likeness of an expanse, shining like awe-inspiring crystal, spread out above their heads. 23 And under the expanse their wings were stretched out straight, one toward another. And each creature had two wings covering its body. 24 And when they went, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of many waters, like the sound of the Almighty, a sound of tumult like the sound of an army. When they stood still, they let down their wings. 25 And there came a voice from above the expanse over their heads. When they stood still, they let down their wings.
26 And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. 27 And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. 28 Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around.
Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of one speaking.
Ezekiel’s Call
2 And he said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet, and I will speak with you.” 2 And as he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet, and I heard him speaking to me. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, I send you to the people of Israel, to nations of rebels, who have rebelled against me. They and their fathers have transgressed against me to this very day. 4 The descendants also are impudent and stubborn: I send you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God.’ 5 And whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house) they will know that a prophet has been among them. 6 And you, son of man, be not afraid of them, nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you sit on scorpions. Be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. 7 And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.
8 “But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Be not rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” 9 And when I looked, behold, a hand was stretched out to me, and behold, a scroll of a book was in it. 10 And he spread it before me. And it had writing on the front and on the back, and there were written on it words of lamentation and mourning and woe. 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Eze 1:1–2:10.) and his message and vision of new life for God’s sin-deadened people in Lesson 2 (Ezekiel 36:16–37:28: 16 The word of the Lord came to me: 17 “Son of man, when the house of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their ways and their deeds. Their ways before me were like the uncleanness of a woman in her menstrual impurity. 18 So I poured out my wrath upon them for the blood that they had shed in the land, for the idols with which they had defiled it. 19 I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. In accordance with their ways and their deeds I judged them. 20 But when they came to the nations, wherever they came, they profaned my holy name, in that people said of them, ‘These are the people of the Lord, and yet they had to go out of his land.’ 21 But I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they came.
I Will Put My Spirit Within You
22 “Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord God: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. 23 And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the Lord, declares the Lord God, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes. 24 I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. 29 And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. 30 I will make the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field abundant, that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. 31 Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominations. 32 It is not for your sake that I will act, declares the Lord God; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, O house of Israel.
33 “Thus says the Lord God: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the cities to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. 34 And the land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. 35 And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden, and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are now fortified and inhabited.’ 36 Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I am the Lord; I have rebuilt the ruined places and replanted that which was desolate. I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it.
37 “Thus says the Lord God: This also I will let the house of Israel ask me to do for them: to increase their people like a flock. 38 Like the flock for sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of people. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
The Valley of Dry Bones
37 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. 2 And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. 3 And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. 5 Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. 6 And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. 8 And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
11 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. 13 And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. 14 And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”
I Will Be Their God; They Shall Be My People
15 The word of the Lord came to me: 16 “Son of man, take a stick and write on it, ‘For Judah, and the people of Israel associated with him’; then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with him.’ 17 And join them one to another into one stick, that they may become one in your hand. 18 And when your people say to you, ‘Will you not tell us what you mean by these?’ 19 say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I am about to take the stick of Joseph (that is in the hand of Ephraim) and the tribes of Israel associated with him. And I will join with it the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, that they may be one in my hand. 20 When the sticks on which you write are in your hand before their eyes, 21 then say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land. 22 And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all, and they shall be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms. 23 They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.
24 “My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes. 25 They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children’s children shall dwell there forever, and David my servant shall be their prince forever. 26 I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. 27 My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 28 Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.” 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Eze 36:16–37:28.).
Daniel – A contemporary prophet with Ezekiel, Daniel faithfully served God in the royal courts as an exiled Israelite. Lessons 3-5 record Daniel’s experiences while serving in the Babylonian palace, and Lessons 6-8 offer prophecy regarding Daniel’s day and beyond.
Ezra – Lessons 9-12 cover the historical narrative of Zerubbabel’s and Ezra’s leadership as the exiled Israelites began returning to their homeland. The people rebuilt the Jerusalem temple despite opposition. Ezra’s leadership focused not only on physical accomplishments but also called the returned exiles to honor and obey God wholeheartedly.
Esther – Lessons 13-15 expound Esther’s dramatic narrative recounting God’s providential intervention to deliver His people from extinction. With the Babylonian region under Medo-Persian rule, Esther’s story lies historically between Ezra 6: 6 Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in Babylonia, in the house of the archives where the documents were stored. 2 And in Ecbatana, the citadel that is in the province of Media, a scroll was found on which this was written: “A record. 3 In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices were offered, and let its foundations be retained. Its height shall be sixty cubits and its breadth sixty cubits, 4 with three layers of great stones and one layer of timber. Let the cost be paid from the royal treasury. 5 And also let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that is in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought back to the temple that is in Jerusalem, each to its place. You shall put them in the house of God.”
6 “Now therefore, Tattenai, governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and your associates the governors who are in the province Beyond the River, keep away. 7 Let the work on this house of God alone. Let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site. 8 Moreover, I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God. The cost is to be paid to these men in full and without delay from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province from Beyond the River. 9 And whatever is needed—bulls, rams, or sheep for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, as the priests at Jerusalem require—let that be given to them day by day without fail, 10 that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the king and his sons. 11 Also I make a decree that if anyone alters this edict, a beam shall be pulled out of his house, and he shall be impaled on it, and his house shall be made a dunghill. 12 May the God who has caused his name to dwell there overthrow any king or people who shall put out a hand to alter this, or to destroy this house of God that is in Jerusalem. I Darius make a decree; let it be done with all diligence.”
The Temple Finished and Dedicated
13 Then, according to the word sent by Darius the king, Tattenai, the governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates did with all diligence what Darius the king had ordered. 14 And the elders of the Jews built and prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They finished their building by decree of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes king of Persia; 15 and this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.
16 And the people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. 17 They offered at the dedication of this house of God 100 bulls, 200 rams, 400 lambs, and as a sin offering for all Israel 12 male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. 18 And they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their divisions, for the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the Book of Moses.
Passover Celebrated
19 On the fourteenth day of the first month, the returned exiles kept the Passover. 20 For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were clean. So they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow priests, and for themselves. 21 It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by every one who had joined them and separated himself from the uncleanness of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel. 22 And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ezr 6:1–22. and 7: 7 Now after this, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, 2 son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, 3 son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, 4 son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, 5 son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the chief priest— 6 this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given, and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the Lord his God was on him.
7 And there went up also to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king, some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, the singers and gatekeepers, and the temple servants. 8 And Ezra came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. 9 For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. 10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.
11 This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, a man learned in matters of the commandments of the Lord and his statutes for Israel: 12 “Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven. Peace. And now 13 I make a decree that anyone of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom, who freely offers to go to Jerusalem, may go with you. 14 For you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the Law of your God, which is in your hand, 15 and also to carry the silver and gold that the king and his counselors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, 16 with all the silver and gold that you shall find in the whole province of Babylonia, and with the freewill offerings of the people and the priests, vowed willingly for the house of their God that is in Jerusalem. 17 With this money, then, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, with their grain offerings and their drink offerings, and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God that is in Jerusalem. 18 Whatever seems good to you and your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do, according to the will of your God. 19 The vessels that have been given you for the service of the house of your God, you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem. 20 And whatever else is required for the house of your God, which it falls to you to provide, you may provide it out of the king’s treasury.
21 “And I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River: Whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the Law of the God of heaven, requires of you, let it be done with all diligence, 22 up to 100 talents of silver, 100 cors of wheat, 100 baths of wine, 100 baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much. 23 Whatever is decreed by the God of heaven, let it be done in full for the house of the God of heaven, lest his wrath be against the realm of the king and his sons. 24 We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on anyone of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.
25 “And you, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God. And those who do not know them, you shall teach. 26 Whoever will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be strictly executed on him, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of his goods or for imprisonment.”
27 Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the Lord that is in Jerusalem, 28 and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the Lord my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me. 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ezr 7:1–28.. Esther and her family remained in exile after some Israelites had returned to their homeland. God elevated Esther to be queen in the foreign land and her cousin Mordecai to a similarly influential position. Though God’s name is not mentioned in the book, His sovereign hand behind the scenes communicates hope.
Haggai – Lesson 16 explores Haggai’s prophecy to the complacent Israelites who had returned to their homeland but focused on their homes rather than rebuilding the temple. Haggai’s prophetic voice urged God’s people to make Him their highest priority.
Zechariah – Lessons 17-22 look to the prophet Zechariah, a contemporary of Haggai who challenged the returned Israelites to repent and return to God. Through visions and exhortation, Zechariah spoke for God, urging His people to lay hold of His plans for them. The last few chapters of Zechariah consider Israel’s future response to the Messiah and God’s promised restoration before Jesus returns.
Nehemiah – The narrative account in Nehemiah, covered in Lessons 23-27, chronicles the Israelites’ struggles to rebuild Jerusalem’s wall. Nehemiah led with courage and unswerving diligence as enemies from without and discord from within threatened God’s work for His people. Lessons regarding leadership, opposition, and God’s faithfulness abound in Nehemiah.
Malachi – Lesson 28 focuses on the last book in the Old Testament, Malachi, which professes God’s love for His wayward people. Malachi revealed the many ways the Israelites had failed to honor God. The book ends with a promise of the coming of God’s appointed messenger and restoration before the day of the Lord and God’s judgment. This final Old Testament book looks ahead to God’s ultimate victory.
Though written by various human authors, the books within this study combine to tell one story of God’s faithfulness to His eternal plan. While related to a distinct period in Israel’s history, the messages within these books offer conviction and encouragement for today. Some passages will stretch us, but God has allowed us the joy of studying these books with others. Ask God to draw your heart to grasp the value within each lesson, trusting He has brought you to this study at this point in your life.
The Themes We Will Uncover
The flowing story in the Old Testament’s final books brings noteworthy messages. Accounts such as these have much to teach us about God and His ways. Recurrent human waywardness also clearly emerges and reflects what we see and experience today.
Truths about God – Israel’s story reveals much about God, who kept His word to discipline and restore His rebellious children. God’s faithfulness continues even when humans prove themselves unfaithful. He sent the Israelites into exile and intervened to restore them in their land and bring blessings beyond their suffering. Though Israel did not experience the full extent of God’s promised reclamation of their hearts and land, He continued to offer the people hope and call them back to Himself.
The ploys and plots of mere humans cannot thwart God’s work on earth. The rise and fall of kings and kingdoms, mandates of ungodly kings, unexpected provisions, triumph amid overwhelming obstacles, and victory over evil enemies reveal God’s overcoming power that no one can stop. God sovereignly controls history to accomplish His eternal plans.
Israel did not earn God’s favor, and neither do we. Quite the opposite is true. God extends His care to His people. Though they may suffer on this earth, He promises to uphold His people and carry them through. God delights to restore and rebuild what sin has stolen. God’s compassionate heart protects and upholds His people.
Truths about Humanity – We do not study Israel’s failures to feel boastful about ourselves. The wandering hearts and disobedience we observe in these books warn of our inborn tendency to seek our own way rather than God’s way. We learn why we need God. Marred by sin and desperately in need of God’s redemption, we wrongly choose to love and seek lesser things. We shamefully ignore God’s overwhelming love and graciousness to us. God calls us to return to a wholehearted focus on Him, diligently walking in His ways. Israel’s history teaches us that we cannot do this without God’s transformative work within us. God’s work in and through His people in the past points to His redemptive work in and through His people today through faith in Jesus Christ. This is God’s glorious road to our future with Him in the eternal kingdom to come.
We often look at this world or our lives and feel disoriented, displaced, and confused. However, God’s promises offer hope for His children that transcends the muddled situations around us. We do not find lasting security in favorable circumstances or promising rulers but only in God Himself. We need the hope that only God can give. God calls us to interpret our lives through what He has declared as true, rather than defining God by what we observe.
The Work God Will Do
Our efforts to seek God and study His Word are never wasted. No matter your situation in life, God desires to reveal Himself to you through this study. Will you approach each lesson dependent on the Holy Spirit to apply God’s targeted message to your heart? Just as God called the Israelites to resilient faith, He will work through His Word to build in you right thinking, strength, and a desire to live for Him. Will you rely on God week by week as you walk through these books? Our study will call us to trust our powerful God! Israel’s story and yours combine to invite you to seek God with all your heart and be part of His story. God is faithful to His promises and directs history to accomplish His eternal plans.
Deliverance from Sin’s Penalty, Power, and Presence
The Doctrine of Salvation
God’s dealings with Israel reflect His desire to save people from sin’s destruction. God’s law graciously prescribed religious ceremonies for His people that addressed their sin and required faith and obedience but ultimately pointed to Christ.1 The corruption sin brings to humanity means all people are born in sin, unable to save themselves from sin’s damage.2 We need what God provides. Christ’s sacrifice provides a way of escape—salvation—for those who look to Him in faith.
Christ alone brings salvation, which believers experience and anticipate. First, Christ saves believers from sin’s penalty. He bore the costly and just judgment their sin deserved when He died on the cross.3 Second, Christ delivers those who trust Him from sin’s power. Though believers still struggle with sin, the Holy Spirit enables them to obey God, shaping them to be more like Him.4 Finally, Christ’s death promises a coming day when believers will be completely restored and dwell with God eternally—rescued forever from sin’s presence.5
Apart from the salvation Christ brings, every human will face God as judge and bear the punishment for their sin. God offers salvation through His Son because we need saving. He compassionately seeks to rescue us from sin’s stronghold. Without His gracious intervention, we face only judgment and suffering.
Christ redeems those who turn from their sin and to Him for salvation. His sacrificial gift incorporates depth and wonder we will celebrate for all eternity. The sinless Savior bore the punishment for our sin to deliver us and open the only way to fellowship with God. Jesus Christ is God’s Son and our Savior. Because of Christ, sin no longer holds believers captive. And one day, sin’s deceit and damage will be gone forever. In the end, God will make believers into a people who reflect who He is. Hallelujah!
1. Sacrifices pointed to Christ: Hebrews 10:3-5: 3 But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. 4 For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.
5 Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,
“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
but a body have you prepared for me; 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Heb 10:3–5.
2. Sin’s wages: Romans 6:23a: 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ro 6:23.
3. Saved from sin’s penalty: Psalm 103:11-12: 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 103:11–12.; Jeremiah 31:34: 34 And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Je 31:34.; Romans 6:23: 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ro 6:23.; 2 Corinthians 5:21: 21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Co 5:21.
4. Saved from sin’s power: Romans 6; 8:1-17; Philippians 2:13: 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Php 2:13.; Colossians 1:13-14: 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Col 1:13–14.
5. Saved from sin’s presence: Philippians 3:20-21: 20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Php 3:20–21.; 1 John 3:2: 2 Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Jn 3:2.; Revelation 21:1-8: 21 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Re 21:1–8.
Take to Heart
Hold Fast
Our study of the Bible allows us to learn truths about God and His ways that guide our thinking and direct our lives. Our intense look into the Old Testament and Israel’s tumultuous history offers far more than an information-based course in books of the Bible we seldom open for devotional reading. Together, we will learn how God delivered His people from exile in Babylon and empowered them to return to their homeland. Their successes and failures offer us lessons. God’s faithfulness to unfaithful people teaches us He is worthy of our wholehearted worship.
This year’s study enters Israel’s story during their exile and takes us through the end of the Old Testament. Each narrative and prophetic passage speaks not only about Israel but also to us. God countered spiritual complacency by sending His prophets to speak His words to His people, calling them to make their home with Him. Though God’s work within and through His people met obstacles, God faithfully continued to show them His grace. Promises regarding their immediate and the distant future remind us of God’s sovereignty over history and eternity. We will learn and grow together as we walk with the people of Israel through these glorious books.
Apply It
Reading the Bible invigorates our intellect and stirs our hearts. We can enjoy the details and facts as we discover connections or concepts. However, the Bible offers much more than an interesting academic exercise. We study Scripture to learn about God in a way that calls us into surrender, relationship, and profound worship. Sometimes we limit the impact of our study to head knowledge. Unlike other books, the words in the Bible are “alive and active … [judging] the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”21 Like a mirror, the Bible shows us who we really are and why we need the Lord to reshape our lives. As we encounter God’s lessons for Israel, His Spirit will speak encouragement, bring conviction, and reorder our priorities. By this study year’s end, we aim to deepen our understanding of the Old Testament’s final books and live more in line with God’s truth. How will you approach this study this year? As you discover what these passages say, will you seek to apply them to your life?
Recognizing others’ failures comes easier than owning our own sin. Israel’s story does not elevate the nation or individuals as outstanding examples of obedience and surrender. The hero in Israel’s story is not Israel, Daniel, Ezra, or Esther, but God Himself. God intended His rebukes and His prophets’ warnings to stimulate real people toward true surrender and sincere faith. Rather than sending us to recoil at Israel’s failures, God calls us to repent from our sin and seek Him in our own lives. As you study these lessons, recognize Israel’s challenges in light of your own frailty. Consider Israel’s promises not just as historical details but as revealed truth about the living God who also seeks you. Believers still face obstacles and opposition to God’s call on their lives. We still battle sin and need God to constantly realign our thinking and actions. Study Israel’s history, but set your gaze on God. He will mold your heart as you engage with Him in His Word.
Trust God for the strength and focus each week to faithfully journey through this study. Just as the Israelites faced enemy opposition when rebuilding Jerusalem’s temple and wall, our dedication to study God’s Word and fellowship with His people is often tested. Ask God to prepare your schedule and align your priorities for this study. Each day, as you pick up your Bible and your lesson, see how God meets you. Your walk with God depends not on your strength but on the Lord’s faithfulness. Expect God to work. Apply diligent effort. Trust the Holy Spirit to reveal and forge eternal truth into your life. Seek comfort and strength from your group when you feel weak or distracted. Walk together with people who seek the Lord and love His Word. Share your burdens and celebrate His victories in you. What will God do as we study His Word and yield to Him this year?
1. Words from God: 2 Timothy 3:14-17: 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Ti 3:14–17.; 2 Peter 1:20-21: 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Pe 1:20–21.
2. God’s true words: Numbers 23:19: 19 God is not man, that he should lie,
or a son of man, that he should change his mind.
Has he said, and will he not do it?
Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it? 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Nu 23:19.; Proverbs 30:5: 5 Every word of God proves true;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Pr 30:5.; John 17:17: 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 17:17.
3. God’s Word impacts people: Isaiah 55:10-11: 10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven
and do not return there but water the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
11 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Is 55:10–11.; 1 Peter 1:23-25: 23 since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 24 for
“All flesh is like grass
and all its glory like the flower of grass.
The grass withers,
and the flower falls,
25 but the word of the Lord remains forever.”
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Pe 1:23–25.; Psalm 119: 119 Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!
4 You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous rules.
8 I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me!
Beth
9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O Lord;
teach me your statutes!
13 With my lips I declare
all the rules of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight
as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.
Gimel
17 Deal bountifully with your servant,
that I may live and keep your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
wondrous things out of your law.
19 I am a sojourner on the earth;
hide not your commandments from me!
20 My soul is consumed with longing
for your rules at all times.
21 You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones,
who wander from your commandments.
22 Take away from me scorn and contempt,
for I have kept your testimonies.
23 Even though princes sit plotting against me,
your servant will meditate on your statutes.
24 Your testimonies are my delight;
they are my counselors.
Daleth
25 My soul clings to the dust;
give me life according to your word!
26 When I told of my ways, you answered me;
teach me your statutes!
27 Make me understand the way of your precepts,
and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
28 My soul melts away for sorrow;
strengthen me according to your word!
29 Put false ways far from me
and graciously teach me your law!
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness;
I set your rules before me.
31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;
let me not be put to shame!
32 I will run in the way of your commandments
when you enlarge my heart!
He
33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes;
and I will keep it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, that I may keep your law
and observe it with my whole heart.
35 Lead me in the path of your commandments,
for I delight in it.
36 Incline my heart to your testimonies,
and not to selfish gain!
37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things;
and give me life in your ways.
38 Confirm to your servant your promise,
that you may be feared.
39 Turn away the reproach that I dread,
for your rules are good.
40 Behold, I long for your precepts;
in your righteousness give me life!
Waw
41 Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord,
your salvation according to your promise;
42 then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me,
for I trust in your word.
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
for my hope is in your rules.
44 I will keep your law continually,
forever and ever,
45 and I shall walk in a wide place,
for I have sought your precepts.
46 I will also speak of your testimonies before kings
and shall not be put to shame,
47 for I find my delight in your commandments,
which I love.
48 I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love,
and I will meditate on your statutes.
Zayin
49 Remember your word to your servant,
in which you have made me hope.
50 This is my comfort in my affliction,
that your promise gives me life.
51 The insolent utterly deride me,
but I do not turn away from your law.
52 When I think of your rules from of old,
I take comfort, O Lord.
53 Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,
who forsake your law.
54 Your statutes have been my songs
in the house of my sojourning.
55 I remember your name in the night, O Lord,
and keep your law.
56 This blessing has fallen to me,
that I have kept your precepts.
Heth
57 The Lord is my portion;
I promise to keep your words.
58 I entreat your favor with all my heart;
be gracious to me according to your promise.
59 When I think on my ways,
I turn my feet to your testimonies;
60 I hasten and do not delay
to keep your commandments.
61 Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,
I do not forget your law.
62 At midnight I rise to praise you,
because of your righteous rules.
63 I am a companion of all who fear you,
of those who keep your precepts.
64 The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love;
teach me your statutes!
Teth
65 You have dealt well with your servant,
O Lord, according to your word.
66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
for I believe in your commandments.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I keep your word.
68 You are good and do good;
teach me your statutes.
69 The insolent smear me with lies,
but with my whole heart I keep your precepts;
70 their heart is unfeeling like fat,
but I delight in your law.
71 It is good for me that I was afflicted,
that I might learn your statutes.
72 The law of your mouth is better to me
than thousands of gold and silver pieces.
Yodh
73 Your hands have made and fashioned me;
give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.
74 Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice,
because I have hoped in your word.
75 I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous,
and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
76 Let your steadfast love comfort me
according to your promise to your servant.
77 Let your mercy come to me, that I may live;
for your law is my delight.
78 Let the insolent be put to shame,
because they have wronged me with falsehood;
as for me, I will meditate on your precepts.
79 Let those who fear you turn to me,
that they may know your testimonies.
80 May my heart be blameless in your statutes,
that I may not be put to shame!
Kaph
81 My soul longs for your salvation;
I hope in your word.
82 My eyes long for your promise;
I ask, “When will you comfort me?”
83 For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,
yet I have not forgotten your statutes.
84 How long must your servant endure?
When will you judge those who persecute me?
85 The insolent have dug pitfalls for me;
they do not live according to your law.
86 All your commandments are sure;
they persecute me with falsehood; help me!
87 They have almost made an end of me on earth,
but I have not forsaken your precepts.
88 In your steadfast love give me life,
that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.
Lamedh
89 Forever, O Lord, your word
is firmly fixed in the heavens.
90 Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
you have established the earth, and it stands fast.
91 By your appointment they stand this day,
for all things are your servants.
92 If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have given me life.
94 I am yours; save me,
for I have sought your precepts.
95 The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,
but I consider your testimonies.
96 I have seen a limit to all perfection,
but your commandment is exceedingly broad.
Mem
97 Oh how I love your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
for it is ever with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,
for your testimonies are my meditation.
100 I understand more than the aged,
for I keep your precepts.
101 I hold back my feet from every evil way,
in order to keep your word.
102 I do not turn aside from your rules,
for you have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through your precepts I get understanding;
therefore I hate every false way.
Nun
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
to keep your righteous rules.
107 I am severely afflicted;
give me life, O Lord, according to your word!
108 Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O Lord,
and teach me your rules.
109 I hold my life in my hand continually,
but I do not forget your law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me,
but I do not stray from your precepts.
111 Your testimonies are my heritage forever,
for they are the joy of my heart.
112 I incline my heart to perform your statutes
forever, to the end.
Samekh
113 I hate the double-minded,
but I love your law.
114 You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in your word.
115 Depart from me, you evildoers,
that I may keep the commandments of my God.
116 Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live,
and let me not be put to shame in my hope!
117 Hold me up, that I may be safe
and have regard for your statutes continually!
118 You spurn all who go astray from your statutes,
for their cunning is in vain.
119 All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross,
therefore I love your testimonies.
120 My flesh trembles for fear of you,
and I am afraid of your judgments.
Ayin
121 I have done what is just and right;
do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Give your servant a pledge of good;
let not the insolent oppress me.
123 My eyes long for your salvation
and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
and teach me your statutes.
125 I am your servant; give me understanding,
that I may know your testimonies!
126 It is time for the Lord to act,
for your law has been broken.
127 Therefore I love your commandments
above gold, above fine gold.
128 Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right;
I hate every false way.
Pe
129 Your testimonies are wonderful;
therefore my soul keeps them.
130 The unfolding of your words gives light;
it imparts understanding to the simple.
131 I open my mouth and pant,
because I long for your commandments.
132 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
as is your way with those who love your name.
133 Keep steady my steps according to your promise,
and let no iniquity get dominion over me.
134 Redeem me from man’s oppression,
that I may keep your precepts.
135 Make your face shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
136 My eyes shed streams of tears,
because people do not keep your law.
Tsadhe
137 Righteous are you, O Lord,
and right are your rules.
138 You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness
and in all faithfulness.
139 My zeal consumes me,
because my foes forget your words.
140 Your promise is well tried,
and your servant loves it.
141 I am small and despised,
yet I do not forget your precepts.
142 Your righteousness is righteous forever,
and your law is true.
143 Trouble and anguish have found me out,
but your commandments are my delight.
144 Your testimonies are righteous forever;
give me understanding that I may live.
Qoph
145 With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord!
I will keep your statutes.
146 I call to you; save me,
that I may observe your testimonies.
147 I rise before dawn and cry for help;
I hope in your words.
148 My eyes are awake before the watches of the night,
that I may meditate on your promise.
149 Hear my voice according to your steadfast love;
O Lord, according to your justice give me life.
150 They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose;
they are far from your law.
151 But you are near, O Lord,
and all your commandments are true.
152 Long have I known from your testimonies
that you have founded them forever.
Resh
153 Look on my affliction and deliver me,
for I do not forget your law.
154 Plead my cause and redeem me;
give me life according to your promise!
155 Salvation is far from the wicked,
for they do not seek your statutes.
156 Great is your mercy, O Lord;
give me life according to your rules.
157 Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,
but I do not swerve from your testimonies.
158 I look at the faithless with disgust,
because they do not keep your commands.
159 Consider how I love your precepts!
Give me life according to your steadfast love.
160 The sum of your word is truth,
and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.
Sin and Shin
161 Princes persecute me without cause,
but my heart stands in awe of your words.
162 I rejoice at your word
like one who finds great spoil.
163 I hate and abhor falsehood,
but I love your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise you
for your righteous rules.
165 Great peace have those who love your law;
nothing can make them stumble.
166 I hope for your salvation, O Lord,
and I do your commandments.
167 My soul keeps your testimonies;
I love them exceedingly.
168 I keep your precepts and testimonies,
for all my ways are before you.
Taw
169 Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
give me understanding according to your word!
170 Let my plea come before you;
deliver me according to your word.
171 My lips will pour forth praise,
for you teach me your statutes.
172 My tongue will sing of your word,
for all your commandments are right.
173 Let your hand be ready to help me,
for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I long for your salvation, O Lord,
and your law is my delight.
175 Let my soul live and praise you,
and let your rules help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,
for I do not forget your commandments. 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 119:1–176.
4. God’s creation: Genesis 1–2: 1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
6 And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” 7 And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. 8 And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
9 And God said, “Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.” And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good.
11 And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.
14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, 15 and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. 16 And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. 17 And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, 18 to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. 19 And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.
20 And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” 21 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. 22 And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” 23 And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.
24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.” And it was so. 25 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.
26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”
27 So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them.
28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
The Seventh Day, God Rests
2 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.
The Creation of Man and Woman
4 These are the generations
of the heavens and the earth when they were created,
in the day that the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.
5 When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up—for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, 6 and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground— 7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. 8 And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground the Lord God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
10 A river flowed out of Eden to water the garden, and there it divided and became four rivers. 11 The name of the first is the Pishon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. 12 And the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. 13 The name of the second river is the Gihon. It is the one that flowed around the whole land of Cush. 14 And the name of the third river is the Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.
15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” 19 Now out of the ground the Lord God had formed every beast of the field and every bird of the heavens and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. And whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name. 20 The man gave names to all livestock and to the birds of the heavens and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper fit for him. 21 So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. 23 Then the man said,
“This at last is bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called Woman,
because she was taken out of Man.”
24 Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ge 1:1–2:25.
5. Fall: Genesis 3: 3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.
He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.
8 And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11 He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12 The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13 Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
14 The Lord God said to the serpent,
“Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock
and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go,
and dust you shall eat
all the days of your life.
15 I will put enmity between you and the woman,
and between your offspring and her offspring;
he shall bruise your head,
and you shall bruise his heel.”
16 To the woman he said,
“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing;
in pain you shall bring forth children.
Your desire shall be contrary to your husband,
but he shall rule over you.”
17 And to Adam he said,
“Because you have listened to the voice of your wife
and have eaten of the tree
of which I commanded you,
‘You shall not eat of it,’
cursed is the ground because of you;
in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;
18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;
and you shall eat the plants of the field.
19 By the sweat of your face
you shall eat bread,
till you return to the ground,
for out of it you were taken;
for you are dust,
and to dust you shall return.”
20 The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living. 21 And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.
22 Then the Lord God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of us in knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever—” 23 therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24 He drove out the man, and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim and a flaming sword that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life. 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ge 3:1–24.
6. Abraham’s call: Genesis 12:1-3: 12 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ge 12:1–3.
7. Slavery in Egypt: Exodus 1:1-14: 1 These are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: 2 Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, 3 Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, 4 Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. 5 All the descendants of Jacob were seventy persons; Joseph was already in Egypt. 6 Then Joseph died, and all his brothers and all that generation. 7 But the people of Israel were fruitful and increased greatly; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.
Pharaoh Oppresses Israel
8 Now there arose a new king over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. 9 And he said to his people, “Behold, the people of Israel are too many and too mighty for us. 10 Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” 11 Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. 12 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. 13 So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves 14 and made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and brick, and in all kinds of work in the field. In all their work they ruthlessly made them work as slaves. 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ex 1:1–14.
8. Egyptian exodus: Exodus 12:31–15:31: 31 Then he summoned Moses and Aaron by night and said, “Up, go out from among my people, both you and the people of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as you have said.11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ex 12:31.
9. Wilderness wandering: Exodus 16:35: 35 The people of Israel ate the manna forty years, till they came to a habitable land. They ate the manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan.11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ex 16:35.; Numbers 9:15-23: 15 On the day that the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the testimony. And at evening it was over the tabernacle like the appearance of fire until morning. 16 So it was always: the cloud covered it by day and the appearance of fire by night. 17 And whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, after that the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel camped. 18 At the command of the Lord the people of Israel set out, and at the command of the Lord they camped. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. 19 Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle many days, the people of Israel kept the charge of the Lord and did not set out. 20 Sometimes the cloud was a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the Lord they remained in camp; then according to the command of the Lord they set out. 21 And sometimes the cloud remained from evening until morning. And when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they set out. 22 Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, abiding there, the people of Israel remained in camp and did not set out, but when it lifted they set out. 23 At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord they set out. They kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by Moses. 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Nu 9:15–23.; 32:13: 13 And the Lord’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the Lord was gone.11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Nu 32:13.
10. God’s law: Leviticus 20:7-8: 7 Consecrate yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am the Lord your God. 8 Keep my statutes and do them; I am the Lord who sanctifies you.11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Le 20:7–8.; Psalm 147:19: 19 He declares his word to Jacob,
his statutes and rules to Israel. 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 147:19.
11. Israel’s privileges: Romans 9:1-5: 9 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit— 2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ro 9:1–5.
12. Inhabiting Canaan: Judges 1:17-21: 17 And Judah went with Simeon his brother, and they defeated the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath and devoted it to destruction. So the name of the city was called Hormah. 18 Judah also captured Gaza with its territory, and Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory. 19 And the Lord was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they had chariots of iron. 20 And Hebron was given to Caleb, as Moses had said. And he drove out from it the three sons of Anak. 21 But the people of Benjamin did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem, so the Jebusites have lived with the people of Benjamin in Jerusalem to this day. 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jdg 1:17–21., 27-36: 27 Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages, for the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land. 28 When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not drive them out completely.
29 And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them.
30 Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them, but became subject to forced labor.
31 Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon or of Ahlab or of Achzib or of Helbah or of Aphik or of Rehob, 32 so the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out.
33 Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, so they lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to forced labor for them.
34 The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain. 35 The Amorites persisted in dwelling in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph rested heavily on them, and they became subject to forced labor. 36 And the border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward. 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jdg 1:27–36.
13. King demanded: 1 Samuel 8:20: 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.”11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Sa 8:20.
14. God’s covenant with David: 2 Samuel 7:8-17: 8 Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel. 9 And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. 10 And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly, 11 from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. 12 When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13 He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, 15 but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. 16 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ” 17 In accordance with all these words, and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David. 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Sa 7:8–17.
15. Israel’s fall to Assyria: 2 Kings 17:1-23: 17 In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah, Hoshea the son of Elah began to reign in Samaria over Israel, and he reigned nine years. 2 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him. 3 Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria. And Hoshea became his vassal and paid him tribute. 4 But the king of Assyria found treachery in Hoshea, for he had sent messengers to So, king of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year. Therefore the king of Assyria shut him up and bound him in prison. 5 Then the king of Assyria invaded all the land and came to Samaria, and for three years he besieged it.
The Fall of Israel
6 In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria, and he carried the Israelites away to Assyria and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
Exile Because of Idolatry
7 And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods 8 and walked in the customs of the nations whom the Lord drove out before the people of Israel, and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced. 9 And the people of Israel did secretly against the Lord their God things that were not right. They built for themselves high places in all their towns, from watchtower to fortified city. 10 They set up for themselves pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree, 11 and there they made offerings on all the high places, as the nations did whom the Lord carried away before them. And they did wicked things, provoking the Lord to anger, 12 and they served idols, of which the Lord had said to them, “You shall not do this.” 13 Yet the Lord warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, “Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.”
14 But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the Lord their God. 15 They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the Lord had commanded them that they should not do like them. 16 And they abandoned all the commandments of the Lord their God, and made for themselves metal images of two calves; and they made an Asherah and worshiped all the host of heaven and served Baal. 17 And they burned their sons and their daughters as offerings and used divination and omens and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the Lord, provoking him to anger. 18 Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.
19 Judah also did not keep the commandments of the Lord their God, but walked in the customs that Israel had introduced. 20 And the Lord rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until he had cast them out of his sight.
21 When he had torn Israel from the house of David, they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. And Jeroboam drove Israel from following the Lord and made them commit great sin. 22 The people of Israel walked in all the sins that Jeroboam did. They did not depart from them, 23 until the Lord removed Israel out of his sight, as he had spoken by all his servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria until this day. 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Ki 17:1–23.
16. Judah’s fall to Babylon: 2 Kings 24–25: 24 In his days, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant for three years. Then he turned and rebelled against him. 2 And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldeans and bands of the Syrians and bands of the Moabites and bands of the Ammonites, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servants the prophets. 3 Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the Lord, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, according to all that he had done, 4 and also for the innocent blood that he had shed. For he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the Lord would not pardon. 5 Now the rest of the deeds of Jehoiakim and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 6 So Jehoiakim slept with his fathers, and Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place. 7 And the king of Egypt did not come again out of his land, for the king of Babylon had taken all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the Brook of Egypt to the river Euphrates.
Jehoiachin Reigns in Judah
8 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Nehushta the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. 9 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done.
Jerusalem Captured
10 At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. 11 And Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to the city while his servants were besieging it, 12 and Jehoiachin the king of Judah gave himself up to the king of Babylon, himself and his mother and his servants and his officials and his palace officials. The king of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of his reign 13 and carried off all the treasures of the house of the Lord and the treasures of the king’s house, and cut in pieces all the vessels of gold in the temple of the Lord, which Solomon king of Israel had made, as the Lord had foretold. 14 He carried away all Jerusalem and all the officials and all the mighty men of valor, 10,000 captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. None remained, except the poorest people of the land. 15 And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon. The king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officials, and the chief men of the land he took into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. 16 And the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of valor, 7,000, and the craftsmen and the metal workers, 1,000, all of them strong and fit for war. 17 And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.
Zedekiah Reigns in Judah
18 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 19 And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. 20 For because of the anger of the Lord it came to the point in Jerusalem and Judah that he cast them out from his presence.
And Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.
Fall and Captivity of Judah
25 And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem and laid siege to it. And they built siegeworks all around it. 2 So the city was besieged till the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. 3 On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine was so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. 4 Then a breach was made in the city, and all the men of war fled by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, by the king’s garden, and the Chaldeans were around the city. And they went in the direction of the Arabah. 5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king and overtook him in the plains of Jericho, and all his army was scattered from him. 6 Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they passed sentence on him. 7 They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in chains and took him to Babylon.
8 In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month—that was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan, the captain of the bodyguard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. 9 And he burned the house of the Lord and the king’s house and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. 10 And all the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down the walls around Jerusalem. 11 And the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had deserted to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the multitude, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile. 12 But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and plowmen.
13 And the pillars of bronze that were in the house of the Lord, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the Lord, the Chaldeans broke in pieces and carried the bronze to Babylon. 14 And they took away the pots and the shovels and the snuffers and the dishes for incense and all the vessels of bronze used in the temple service, 15 the fire pans also and the bowls. What was of gold the captain of the guard took away as gold, and what was of silver, as silver. 16 As for the two pillars, the one sea, and the stands that Solomon had made for the house of the Lord, the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weight. 17 The height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, and on it was a capital of bronze. The height of the capital was three cubits. A latticework and pomegranates, all of bronze, were all around the capital. And the second pillar had the same, with the latticework.
18 And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest and Zephaniah the second priest and the three keepers of the threshold; 19 and from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the men of war, and five men of the king’s council who were found in the city; and the secretary of the commander of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the city. 20 And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. 21 And the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken into exile out of its land.
Gedaliah Made Governor of Judah
22 And over the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, he appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, son of Shaphan, governor. 23 Now when all the captains and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah governor, they came with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah, namely, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah the son of the Maacathite. 24 And Gedaliah swore to them and their men, saying, “Do not be afraid because of the Chaldean officials. Live in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.” 25 But in the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men and struck down Gedaliah and put him to death along with the Jews and the Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. 26 Then all the people, both small and great, and the captains of the forces arose and went to Egypt, for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.
Jehoiachin Released from Prison
27 And in the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, graciously freed Jehoiachin king of Judah from prison. 28 And he spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat above the seats of the kings who were with him in Babylon. 29 So Jehoiachin put off his prison garments. And every day of his life he dined regularly at the king’s table, 30 and for his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, according to his daily needs, as long as he lived. 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Ki 24–25:30.; 2 Chronicles 36: 36 The people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah and made him king in his father’s place in Jerusalem. 2 Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. 3 Then the king of Egypt deposed him in Jerusalem and laid on the land a tribute of a hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. 4 And the king of Egypt made Eliakim his brother king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But Neco took Jehoahaz his brother and carried him to Egypt.
5 Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord his God. 6 Against him came up Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and bound him in chains to take him to Babylon. 7 Nebuchadnezzar also carried part of the vessels of the house of the Lord to Babylon and put them in his palace in Babylon. 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and the abominations that he did, and what was found against him, behold, they are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. And Jehoiachin his son reigned in his place.
9 Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he became king, and he reigned three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. 10 In the spring of the year King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, with the precious vessels of the house of the Lord, and made his brother Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.
11 Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. 12 He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord his God. He did not humble himself before Jeremiah the prophet, who spoke from the mouth of the Lord. 13 He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God. He stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the Lord, the God of Israel. 14 All the officers of the priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations. And they polluted the house of the Lord that he had made holy in Jerusalem.
15 The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy.
Jerusalem Captured and Burned
17 Therefore he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary and had no compassion on young man or virgin, old man or aged. He gave them all into his hand. 18 And all the vessels of the house of God, great and small, and the treasures of the house of the Lord, and the treasures of the king and of his princes, all these he brought to Babylon. 19 And they burned the house of God and broke down the wall of Jerusalem and burned all its palaces with fire and destroyed all its precious vessels. 20 He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia, 21 to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.
The Proclamation of Cyrus
22 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom and also put it in writing: 23 “Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, ‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the Lord his God be with him. Let him go up.’ ” 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 2 Ch 36:1–23.
17. God’s warnings: Isaiah 39:5-7: 5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6 Behold, the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up till this day, shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left, says the Lord. 7 And some of your own sons, who will come from you, whom you will father, shall be taken away, and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.”11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Is 39:5–7.; Jeremiah 25:8-14: 8 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: Because you have not obeyed my words, 9 behold, I will send for all the tribes of the north, declares the Lord, and for Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these surrounding nations. I will devote them to destruction, and make them a horror, a hissing, and an everlasting desolation. 10 Moreover, I will banish from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the grinding of the millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. 12 Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, declares the Lord, making the land an everlasting waste. 13 I will bring upon that land all the words that I have uttered against it, everything written in this book, which Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations. 14 For many nations and great kings shall make slaves even of them, and I will recompense them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.” 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Je 25:8–14.; Micah 4:10: 10 Writhe and groan, O daughter of Zion,
like a woman in labor,
for now you shall go out from the city
and dwell in the open country;
you shall go to Babylon.
There you shall be rescued;
there the Lord will redeem you
from the hand of your enemies. 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Mic 4:10.; Habakkuk 1:12-17: 12 Are you not from everlasting,
O Lord my God, my Holy One?
We shall not die.
O Lord, you have ordained them as a judgment,
and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof.
13 You who are of purer eyes than to see evil
and cannot look at wrong,
why do you idly look at traitors
and remain silent when the wicked swallows up
the man more righteous than he?
14 You make mankind like the fish of the sea,
like crawling things that have no ruler.
15 He brings all of them up with a hook;
he drags them out with his net;
he gathers them in his dragnet;
so he rejoices and is glad.
16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net
and makes offerings to his dragnet;
for by them he lives in luxury,
and his food is rich.
17 Is he then to keep on emptying his net
and mercilessly killing nations forever? 1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Hab 1:12–17.
18. Promises of restoration: Isaiah 44:28–45:4: 28 who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,
and he shall fulfill all my purpose’;
saying of Jerusalem, ‘She shall be built,’
and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’ ”
Cyrus, God’s Instrument
45 Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus,
whose right hand I have grasped,
to subdue nations before him
and to loose the belts of kings,
to open doors before him
that gates may not be closed:
2 “I will go before you
and level the exalted places,
I will break in pieces the doors of bronze
and cut through the bars of iron,
3 I will give you the treasures of darkness
and the hoards in secret places,
that you may know that it is I, the Lord,
the God of Israel, who call you by your name.
4 For the sake of my servant Jacob,
and Israel my chosen,
I call you by your name,
I name you, though you do not know me.1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Is 44:28–45:4.; Jeremiah 29:10-14:10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile. 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Je 29:10–14. ; 30:1-3: 30 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. 3 For behold, days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall take possession of it.” 11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Je 30:1–3.
19. John the Baptist: Matthew 3; John 1:19-34: 19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
24 (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) 25 They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, 27 even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
Behold, the Lamb of God
29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”1
1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Jn 1:19–34.
20. Timeline: See the Exile & Return Timeline in the Preface of the book or in the Resource Library (keyword search: timeline).
21. God’s Word: Hebrews 4:12: 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.11 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Heb 4:12.
All Scripture quotations in this publication are from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ® NIV ® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
BSF Lesson 0: BSF Lecture Summary: People of the Promise—Exile and Return (Introduction Lesson)
Date: September 28, 2025
Event: BSF Introduction Lecture
Study Focus (2025-2026): People of the Promise—Exile and Return
Duration: Beginning of a 30-week Old Testament study
Main Topics Discussed
1. Taking the Study Personally
- Opening Principle: Instead of distancing ourselves from ancient history, we are encouraged to “take this personally.”
- The study is not just historical or academic; it holds personal, transformational truth for every believer.
- God’s Word is described as both universally powerful and individually personal.
2. Context and Scope of the Study
- Books Covered: Ezekiel, Daniel, Ezra, Esther, Haggai, Zechariah, Nehemiah, and Malachi.
- Historical Setting: Focus on God bringing His people home after 70 years of exile due to Israel’s sin.
- Themes: God’s guiding presence, faithfulness despite circumstances, and the journey from exile to restoration in Jerusalem.
- Goal: To understand God’s redemptive plan and how it unfolds across Scripture, especially in these eight books.
- Structure of the Year:
- From Prodigal to Possession
- From Promise to Profession
3. Overview of the Bible’s Grand Narrative
- Four Major Themes:
- Creation: God’s perfect and original creation.
- Fall: Humanity’s sin beginning with Adam and Eve (Genesis 3) and the resulting curse.
- Redemption: God’s promise of a Redeemer (Gen. 3:15), fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
- Restoration: Jesus’ resurrection and the ultimate hope of the new heaven and earth.
- Jesus as the Unifying and Dividing Figure:
- Jesus bridges Old and New Testaments and is central to history and salvation.
- New Testament immediately ties back to Old Testament promises (e.g., genealogy in Matthew and Luke).
- Prophecies: 574 Old Testament verses foretell the Messiah, fulfilled in Jesus.Details from Jesus’ lineage, birthplace, ministry, suffering, and ultimate victory.
4. The Promise of the Messiah
- Life and Work of Jesus:
- Birth, sinless life, ministry, sacrificial death, resurrection, and promised return.
- Salvation explained as deliverance from sin’s penalty, through faith in Christ, not by works.
- Sanctification and New Identity:
- Believers are progressively shaped to bear Christ’s image (“sanctification”).
- Transformation is ongoing and occurs through engaging God’s Word, prayer, repentance, and community.
5. God’s Plan through Israel and the Church
- God’s Covenants:
- Adam (Conditional): Life contingent on obedience.
- Noah (Unconditional): Renewal and assurance after the flood.
- Abraham (Unconditional): Land, descendants, blessing for all nations.
- Moses (Conditional): Law, with blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.
- David (Unconditional): Eternal throne through David’s line.
- New Covenant (Unconditional): Eternal forgiveness, relationship, and life through Christ.
- Role of Israel:
- Chosen to represent God, received His law and blessings.
- Despite repeated rebellion and exile, God remained faithful and redemptive.
- After Christ: Salvation offered to Gentiles as well, creating one unified people of faith.
- Ezekiel: Prophet in Babylon; message of repentance, obedience; reminder of God’s presence in exile.Study Plan: Two lessons on selected passages.
- Daniel: Model of faith in foreign court; stories of conviction and prophecy of future kingdoms and everlasting hope.Study Plan: Six lessons—first half as narratives (“court stories”), second as prophecy.
- Ezra: Priest; centered on temple worship renewal, the first two return waves.Study Plan: Four lessons.
- Esther: God’s sovereignty in exile, rescue from destruction.Study Plan: Three lessons.
- Haggai: Urges returning exiles to prioritize God and rebuild the temple.Study Plan: One lesson.
- Zechariah: Calls for repentance, shares visions, foretells Messiah’s two comings.Study Plan: Six lessons.
- Nehemiah: Leadership in rebuilding Jerusalem’s walls and community under opposition.Study Plan: Five lessons.
6. Preview of Each Book and Study Roadmap
- Malachi: Final Old Testament prophecy, announces coming Messiah, rebukes for sin, anticipates period of silence before New Testament.
- Study Plan: One lesson.
- Principle 1: The Bible unfolds God’s redemptive purpose for us.The grand narrative is good news for all people and individually for each believer.
7. Principles for the Year
- Principle 2: God promises a presence and a future with Him.
- God’s fulfilled past promises guarantee the reliability of future hope.
8. Application and Call to Action
- Personal Engagement: Take the study personally; ask God what He wants for your life each day.
- Encouraged not to merely emulate the biblical figures’ actions, but to notice God’s faithfulness and respond in obedience to His call for each person.
- Assurance that God is present—wherever we are—and actively guides and sustains His people.
- Purpose of the Study:
- To grow in understanding of God’s faithfulness, sovereignty, love, and personal calling.
- To be equipped for personal spiritual growth and witness.
Action Items
- Participants:
- Commit to engaging the BSF study personally each week over the 30-week study.
- Reflect on personal application: Regularly ask, “What does God have for me today through His Word?”
- Prioritize time in Scripture, prayer, and Christian community throughout the study year.
- Share the hope and truth of God’s redemptive plan with others.
- Group/Leaders:
- Ensure participants understand the two-fold structure of the year (“from prodigal to possession,” “from promise to profession”).
- Provide context for each book as it is introduced in the study.
- Emphasize God’s faithfulness and presence as central themes in discussions.
Follow-up and Next Steps
- Study Timeline:
- This is the introduction for a 30-week curriculum covering eight particular Old Testament books, focusing on the exile, return, and God’s faithfulness.
- The next session will begin with selected passages from Ezekiel.
- Additional Resources:
- Participants are encouraged to explore more information and resources via BSF International.
- No immediate follow-up meetings were explicitly scheduled during the lecture, but group sessions will proceed as outlined in the BSF calendar.
Key Takeaways
- The study of Israel’s exile and return is historically rooted yet personally relevant—meant to transform lives.
- God’s promises, covenants, and redemptive plan are central, culminating in Jesus Christ.
- Engaging God’s Word should be both an intellectual and deeply personal pursuit.
- God’s faithfulness in the past assures us of His presence and promises for the future.
- Every believer has a unique, God-ordained purpose—this study is an invitation to discover and embrace it.
Bible Study Fellowship: People of the Promise – Exile and Return
Introduction Lesson: The Road to Restoration
Date: September 28, 2025
Main Topics Discussed
1. Focus Verse and Thematic Foundation
- Romans 15:4: “For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide, we might have hope.”
- The lesson opens with the acknowledgment of a deep longing for “more” among believers—something beyond worldly experience or possession.
- The context is set as Israel’s exile, highlighting feelings of displacement and reflecting how many believers today can feel like “exiles” in the world.
2. Overview and Purpose of the Study
- This year’s study traces Israel’s journey from exile to restoration, focusing on God’s faithfulness amidst the people’s recurring failures.
- Emphasis on God’s appointment of prophets and faithful leaders—models of humility, excellence, and integrity—even while under foreign dominion.
- The study seeks to draw parallels between Israel’s story and the lives of believers today, offering both warning and encouragement.
- Key Takeaway: God remains faithful to His promises and sovereignly directs history to fulfill His eternal purpose.
3. The Authority and Value of Scripture
Looking Up: God’s Word
- The Authority of Scripture: Highlighted as a unique privilege—God’s words accessible for study, transformation, and application.
- The Bible’s dual authorship: Inspired by God’s Spirit, penned by 40+ human authors, and containing 66 books of divine revelation.
- Both the Old and New Testaments comprise one harmonious narrative centered on redemption through Christ.
- Readers are encouraged to prioritize time in the Word to receive ongoing transformation.
Value of Studying the Old Testament
- The Old Testament serves as the bedrock for New Testament truth.
- Even unfamiliar or challenging passages offer vital truths and relevance for today.
- The experiences and failures of Israel serve as mirrors for personal reflection and application.
- The study encourages openness to the Holy Spirit’s teaching, finding stabilization and rest in God’s eternal plan.
4. Israel’s Historical Context
Looking Back: Israel’s History
- Genesis Foundations: Creation, humanity’s fall, God’s call and promises to Abraham.
- Nation’s development: Egyptian slavery, the Exodus, wilderness provision, and receiving God’s law.
- Persistent disobedience despite God’s faithfulness.
- Period of judges and kings: Initial kings (Saul, David, Solomon) provided inconsistent leadership; David’s eternal kingship promise foreshadowed Christ.
- Division and Downfall: After Solomon, nation splits—northern kingdom (Israel) and southern kingdom (Judah).
- Israel’s fall to Assyria: 722 B.C.
- Judah’s fall and exile to Babylon: 586 B.C.
Exile and Promised Restoration
- Exile understood as God’s judgment for sin—but also as a prelude to mercy and eventual restoration.
- God promised return from Babylon after 70 years, foregrounding this study’s focus.
- The narrative follows the history and prophecy spanning Israel’s exile to the close of the Old Testament, with the following sequence:Ezekiel (Lessons 1–2): Vision, calling, and hope for restoration.
- Daniel (Lessons 3–8): Faithfulness under pagan rule, court experiences, and prophecy.
- Ezra (Lessons 9–12): Return, rebuilding the temple, and spiritual reforms.
- Esther (Lessons 13–15): God’s providence in foreign lands under Medo-Persian rule.
- Haggai (Lesson 16): Call to prioritize God over personal comfort, rebuild the temple.
- Zechariah (Lessons 17–22): Visions, calls to repentance, and future messianic hope.
- Nehemiah (Lessons 23–27): Rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall amid opposition.
- Malachi (Lesson 28): God’s covenant faithfulness despite Israel’s continued errors, prophetic look to God’s messenger and restoration.
5. Study Road Map: Books and Structure
- The study notes the chronological and thematic overlap between various books (e.g., Ezekiel and Daniel, Ezra and Esther).
6. Themes and Doctrinal Emphases
Truths About God
- God’s faithfulness to discipline and restore His people, keeping promises despite human unfaithfulness.
- God’s sovereign hand is evident through history—earthly resistance and flawed leadership cannot stop God’s purposes.
- Restoration extends beyond Israel to humanity, foreshadowed in Christ and pointing to ultimate redemption.
Truths About Humanity
- Israel’s failures are not presented for a sense of superiority but as warnings and identification with universal human weakness.
- Human tendency to idolatry, self-sufficiency, and spiritual complacency are highlighted.
- The necessity of God’s intervention for genuine transformation is emphasized.
Doctrine of Salvation (Deliverance from Sin’s Penalty, Power, and Presence)
- Old Testament law pointed to Christ—ceremonies symbolized faith and obedience but could not secure lasting redemption.
- Threefold salvation:
- Penalty: Christ bears judgment for sin on the cross.
- Power: Believers are empowered by the Holy Spirit to resist sin.
- Presence: Future hope of eternal restoration and complete deliverance from sin.
- Without Christ’s saving work, all face divine judgment. Salvation is offered solely through faith in Christ.
7. Application and Approach to Study
- Study is meant to be transformational, not just informational.
- Scripture is described as “alive and active” (alluding to Hebrews 4:12), exposing true self and need for continual change.
- Israel’s narrative is a call to self-examination, repentance, and whole-hearted commitment, not mere critique of the past.
- Group encouragement: Participants are urged to support one another, share burdens, and celebrate spiritual victories.
- Approach each weekly lesson with expectation, diligence, dependence on the Holy Spirit, and the intent to apply lessons personally.
Action Items
- Prioritize regular Bible study: Participants are encouraged to wrestle with schedules and make time for God’s Word each week.
- Approach study with prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal at least one transformative truth in every lesson.
- Keep chronological notes: Track the overlapping timelines of narrative and prophetic books for a holistic understanding.
- Apply personal reflection: Regularly examine personal tendencies toward complacency or self-sufficiency and seek God’s transformative work.
- Engage with the group: Share struggles and insights, provide encouragement, and join in mutual support throughout the study.
- Prepare for upcoming lessons: Read ahead in the indicated passages beginning with Ezekiel chapters 1–2.
Follow-up
- Next Meeting: The session closed with the indication that the study will resume next week, starting with the opening of Ezekiel.
- Ongoing encouragement: Maintain focus on God’s faithfulness and the hope available through His promises as the group walks through Israel’s exile and return.
Derby Family Ministry 